The present invention relates generally to the incorporation of human tissue xenografts into methods for modeling the physiology and anatomy of vaginal epithelium, studying fastidious vaginal pathogens, evaluating the pharmacology of vaginally reactive agents, and, in particular, evaluating the efficacy of candidate antimicrobial agents and, more particularly, to screening the capacity of candidate microbicides, in human vaginal xenografts, to prevent and/or treat sexually transmitted diseases.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), referring to diseases that are most often transmitted by direct sexual contact, remain an increasingly serious public health problem in the United States, as well as other countries. Indeed, these diseases present a public health crisis. See e.g., Herold et al., Antimicrob. Agent. Chemother., 41:2776-278 (1997). For Example, according to the Summary of Notifiable Diseases, five of the ten most prevalent infectious diseases are STDs. Summary of Notifiable Diseasesxe2x80x94United States, 1996. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. p. 45 (1997). Additionally, The World Health Organization has estimated that 125 million new cases of major bacterial and viral STDs occur each year (See, Herold, supra, at p. 2776). In terms of human cost, the World Bank has estimated that for adults of 15 to 44 years of age, STDs (other than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection) are the second leading cause of healthy life lost in women (See, Herold, supra, at p. 2776). Women are especially at risk as many STDs are asymptomatic and there is a high morbidity rate associated with untreated disease (See e.g., Biro et al., Clin. Pediatr., 33:601-605[1994]). Of these diseases, significant etiologic agents are human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorriioeae, and Treponema palliduin. 
A. Human Papillomavirus
Human papillomaviruses are a heterogeneous group of viruses that induce epithelial or fibroepithelial proliferations of skin or mucosa. Over 80 types of human papillomavirus (HPV) are recognized, many of which are associated with distinctive lesions. Specific diseases associated with HPV infection, such as common warts, epidermodysplasia verruciformis, and genital warts (condylomata), correlate with specific HPV types. For example, HPV-1 has been shown to produce skin warts, and HPV-11 has been shown to produce genital warts. The latter type can also produce warts on the vocal cords of newborns who have been infected by their mothers. Such warts are a serious problem to the newborns because they may threaten breathing and must be surgically removed.
Recent studies have implicated HPVs in the development of premalignant and malignant lesions of the skin (Ikenberg et al., Int. J. Cancer, 32: 563-565, 1983; Orth et al., Cancer Res., 39: 1074-1082, 1979), uterine cervix (Durst et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 80: 3812-3815, 1983), and larynx (Galloway et al., Arch. Otol., 72: 289-294, 1960). For example, HPV-16 and HPV-18 has been isolated and molecularly cloned from cervical carcinoma cells and these HPV types are strongly associated with cervical carcinomas. It is significant to note that HPV""s only grow in differentiating human epithelium. Notably, methods of propagating and detecting HPV have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,268 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,757 hereby incorporated by reference.
B. HIV
Since its recognition in 1981, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become a catastrophic pandemic. The worldwide prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has been estimated at more than 30,000,000. In addition, an estimated of 1.5 million children have been infected with HIV (Famighetti, 1996 World Almanac and Book of Facts, World Almanac Books, Mahwah, N.J., [1995], p.840). In 1996, the incidence of AIDS-opportunistic illnesses in the United States, was approximately 6,390 per 100,00 population for those 50 years of age and older; for those 13-49 years of age, the incidence was approximately 50,340 per 100,000 (xe2x80x9cAIDS Among Persons Aged  greater than 50 Yearsxe2x80x94United States, 1991-1996, xe2x80x9cMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Jan. 23, 1998). The AIDS pandemic is a premiere public health concern. Individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection are also at risk of infection by other sexually transmitted pathogens. Similarly, individuals at risk for non-HIV sexually transmitted pathogens are also at high risk for HIV infection.
Additionally, it is significant to note that women comprise the most rapidly increasing population of the AIDS epidemic. Furthermore, the site of HIV entry (e.g., vagina, cervix, etc) in women is poorly defined. Therefore, protection of vaginal and anal epithelium from HIV entry [beyond the current questionable effective and often irritating application of Nonoxynol-9 (N-9)] is desirable.
C. Chlamydia Trachomatis 
Considering epidemiological data for C. trachomatis, the reported number of cases in the U.S. for 1996 was 490,000 (i.e., a rate of 194.5 per 100,000 persons (this rate was based on reports from 49 states, and the District of Columbia, although only cases from New York City are included in the figures for New York). See, Division of STD Prevention, Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 1996, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September, 1997. This rate exceeds that of all other notifiable infectious diseases in the U.S. This represents an increase from 47.8 per 100,000 to 194.5, for the time period of 1987 to 1996. For the period of 1995 to 1996, the rates increased 2% (i.e., from 313.2 cases per 100,000 to 318.6). For women, the rate (321.5 per 100,000) was over five times that reported in men. In terms of the female population infected, the highest rates of Chlamydia infection occurred in adolescents. The rates are highest in the 15 to 19 year old population with 2,068.6 cases per 100,000, followed by the 20 to 24 year old age group, with 1,485.2 cases. In addition, the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection is highest in economically disadvantaged young women. Untreated C. trachomatis infections often present debilitating sequelae such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain.
D. HSV-2
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) causes a significant amount of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of HSV-2 infection increases at adolescence, with infection rates of 15 to more than 50% in some adult populations (See e.g., Arvin and Prober, xe2x80x9cHerpes Simplex Viruses,xe2x80x9d in Murray et al. (eds.), Manual of Clinical Microbiology, (6th ed.), ASM Press, Washington, D.C., pages 876-883[1995]; Rosenthal et al., Clin. Infect. Dis., 24:135-139[1997]; and Stanberry, Understanding Herpes, University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, Miss. [1998]).
Many cases of HSV-2 infection are subclinical. Indeed, primary infections are often entirely asymptomatic. In addition, despite the apparently universal establishment of latency following infection with either virus, many individuals with past HSV infections do not experience symptomatic recurrences. However, asymptomatic recurrences do occur, making prevention of the transmission HSV-2 in the population very difficult. Indeed, HSV-2 infections may cause acute, latent, and recurrent genital infections. In immunocompromised patients, the lesions associated with HSV-2 may be severe. In addition, infected pregnant women may shed HSV-2, thereby (at times) fatally infecting their newborns.
E. Neisseria gonorrhea 
In the United States alone, conservative estimates suggest that about one million people per year are infected with N. gonorrhea. Worldwide, there is an estimated annual incidence of 25 million cases of N. gonorrhoeae (Crotchfelt et al., J. Clin. Microbiol., 35:1536-154[1997]). Although the number of gonorrhea cases has steadily decreased since the establishment of gonorrhea control programs in the mid-1970s, the problem is not solved. Gonorrhea remains a significant cause of morbidity. Infection with N. gonorrhoeae remains a major case of PID, tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Furthermore, epidemiologic evidence strongly suggests that gonococcal infections facilitate HIV transmission. Rates of gonorrhea in women are particularly high in adolescents, with the highest rates observed in 15 to 19 year olds. For men, the highest rate was observed in the 20 to 24 year old age group. In addition, the percentage of men with repeated infection within a one year period has increased from a low of 13.8% in 1994, to 15.7% in 1996. Of additional concern is the growing number of N. gonorrhoeae isolates with decreased susceptibility to penicillin and/or tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin.
Although there has been considerable work on N. gonorrhoeae vaccines, none are available. In the case of gonorrhoea, it is unlikely that a vaccine will be easily developed because of the rapid and effective antigenic modulation which is one of the hallmarks of N. gonorrhoea (Phillips, Perspect. Drug Disc. Design 5:213-224[1996]).
F. Treponema pallidum 
Infection with Treponema pallidum, the etiologic agent of syphilis is of particular concern during pregnancy, as untreated early syphilis results in perinatal death in up to 40% of cases. If the syphilitic infection is acquired during the four years prior to pregnancy, the fetus is infected in over 70% of cases. Furthermore, syphilis facilitates transmission of HIV and may be particularly significant in areas of the United States (e.g., the South), where both infection rates are high.
In sum, clinical pathologies attributable to STDs are profound. STDs cause acute and chronic disease, infertility, and (in some cases) cancer. Vaccines, which are costly and time-consuming to develop, are unavailable for the treatment of most STDs. This is especially true in the case of HIV where the absence of a vaccine has necessitated the employ of alternative therapeutic strategies, such as retrovirus triple therapy (e.g., AZT, DDI, etc.) to lower virus burden. However, it costs approximately $15,000 (U.S.) annually to maintain a patient on retrovirus triple therapy. This expense, therefore, renders this therapeutic option practically unavailable to Third World populations where HIV is most prevalent. Indeed, the sum of all available STD therapeutics is effective against only a limited number of susceptible pathogens. Furthermore, this limited therapeutic arsenal is largely confined to proprietary formulations which are costly for the afflicted to procure.
Antimicrobial agents act according to a variety of mechanisms. Specifically, these agents may destroy microbes, prevent their pathogenic action, or inhibit their growth. Antimicrobial agents, often referred to as anti-infective agents, are conveniently applied topically to the skin and mucous membranes. In some instances antimicrobial agents may be incorporated into pharmaceutical preparations suitable for intravaginal administration. Regardless of the formulation, however, desirable properties of antimicrobial agents include, but are not limited to, properties recited in Table 1.
Topical antimicrobial agents may be directed at bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites (including but not limited to Trichomona vaginalis). Topical antimicrobial agents are convenient for vaginal application and have been successfully employed in the prevention and treatment of a number of infections including some STDs. N-9, specifically, inactivates enveloped viruses such as HSV-2 and HIV-1 in vitro. Hicks, R. R., et al., xe2x80x9cInactivation of HTLV-III/LAV-infected cultures of normal human lymphocytes by nonoxynol-9 in vivo.xe2x80x9d, Lancet, 2(8469-8470):1422-1423, (1985), Rapp, F. et al., xe2x80x9cSynergistic effect of human leukocyte interferon and nonoxynol-9 against herpes simplex virus type 2.xe2x80x9d Antimicro. Agnt. and Chemo., 28:449-451, (1985) and Judson, F. N., et al.,xe2x80x9d In vitro evaluations of condoms with and without nonoxynol-9 as physical and chemical barriers against Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus type 2 and human immunodeficiency virus.xe2x80x9d Sex. Trans. Dis. 16:51-56, (1989). However, N-9 has not been proven to prevent transmission to women of some of the most deadly STDs, most notably, HIV. Roddy, R. E., et al., xe2x80x9cA controlled trial of nonoxynol-9 film to reduce male-to-female transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.xe2x80x9d N. Engl. J. Med. 339(8):504-10, (1998). Additionally, N-9 may cause irritation and ulceration in some people, thereby increasing STD susceptibility via trans-ulcer inoculation of pathogens or by increasing the number of proliferative cells in regenerative hyperplasia. Kreiss, J., et al., xe2x80x9cEfficacy of nonoxynol-9 contraceptive sponge use in preventing heterosexual acquisition of HIV in Nairobi prostitutes.xe2x80x9d JAMA 268 (4):477-482 (1992). Finally, N-9 does not inactivate HPVs and, therefore, does not qualify as an antiviral microbicide vis-xcex1-vis HPV.
In another example, C31G is an amphoteric, surface-active agent that is effective in vitro against a broad range of viral and bacterial pathogens. Calis, S., et al. xe2x80x9cA non-antibiotic antimicrobial mixture (C31G): evaluation of the antimicrobial efficiency of C31G on vaginal cultures.xe2x80x9d, Boll. Chim. Farmaceut. 131:335-338 (1992), Corner, A. M., et al., xe2x80x9cC31G, a new agent for oral use with potent antimicrobial and antiadherence properties.xe2x80x9d Antimicro. Agents Chemo. 32:350-353, (1988). C31G, however, is not effective against Human Papillomavirus (HPVs).
Currently available in vivo models for evaluating microbial efficacy are limited. HSV-2 has been propagated through inoculation into the mouse vagina. However, in the case of fastidious viruses, such as HIV and HPV, animal models for STDs are restricted to primates. Fastidious viruses have also been propagated in human tissue transplanted into non-human hosts, namely immunocompromised mice (e.g., the renal capsule). See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,814,268 and 5,071,757 to Kreider et al. However, this prior art does not provide an experimental platform that mimics the true three dimensional architecture of human vagina in situ. Furthermore, since the prior art implants chips of human tissue to the renal capsule of a non-human host; any direct post-transplant manipulation or treatment of said chips requires traumatic surgical invasion into the peritoneum of said non-human host.
The present invention relates generally to the incorporation of human tissue xenografts into methods for evaluating the efficacy of topical or systemic candidate anti-microbial compounds and, in particular, to screening the capacity of candidate microbicides, in human vaginal xenografts, to prevent and/or treat sexually transmitted diseases.
Specifically, human vaginal xenografts have a complement of morphologic and cytochemical characteristics that are topolographically similar to normal vagina. These characteristics include (but are not limited to) glycogen production, the elaboration of both estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) as well as lactoferrin (LF) production. Additionally, these xenografts elaborate glutamyl cysteine synthesis (GCS), glutathione-S-transferases (GST) and Mn and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases (SOD) which are enzymes, found in situ in vaginal tissue, that protect vaginal epithelial cells from reactive oxygen species (ROS). By creating vaginal xenografts with such physiological and anatomical parameters of those of native in situ vaginal tissue, drugs can be evaluated against the relevant tissue architecture. This confers advantages to the screening methods claimed through the instant invention. Most importantly, the in situ growth of human tissue permits the propagation of pathogens unable to be propagated (e.g., human papillomavirus) in cell culture.
The present invention provides methods for configuring vaginal tissue removed from a human source under conditions such that a lumen is created. The present invention also recites methods for engrafting human vaginal tissue into a non-human host such that said human xenograft is sustained by the internal milieu of said non-human host. The engrafted human vaginal tissue provides a stable platform that is not rejected by the non-human host and the vaginal tissue does not necrose.
The present invention also contemplates anal epithelium, removed from a human source, configured to create a lumen substantially lined with epithelium. The present invention also recites methods for engrafting said anal epithelium comprising a lumen into a non-human host such that said human xenograft is sustained by the internal milieu of said non-human host. The engrafted human anal tissue provides a stable platform that is not rejected by the non-human host and the anal tissue does not necrose.
Methods employed to facilitate the maintenance of human xenografts in a non-human host include (but are not limited to) the use of an immunocompromised animal and the supplementation of said animal with trophic factors including (but not limited to) gonadal hormones. It is not intended the present invention be limited to any specific immunocompromised non-human host. In one embodiment, the immunocompromised host may be produced through breeding animals with genetic defects. While it is not intended that the present invention be limited to any specific immunocompromised host, in one example the immunocompromised hosts are athymic mice and SCID (severe combined immune deficiency syndrome) mice. In another embodiment, normal animals with no somatic deficiency may be treated systemically (e.g. with electromagnetic radiation, anti-sera, or chemical agents) to render said treated normal animals immunocompromised. In another embodiment, normal animals with no somatic deficiency may be treated surgically to render said treated normal animals immunocompromised. In another embodiment, normal animals may be treated with cyclosporin or other immunosuppressive agents to render said animals immunocompromised.
The present invention also provides methods for the topical or systemic treatment of said engrafted human vaginal tissue with candidate antimicrobial compounds. It is not intended that screening methods of the instant invention be limited to any specific class of candidate antimicrobial compounds. Examples of said candidate antimicrobial compounds include (but are note limited to) detergents, surfactants, alcohols, antibiotics, antibodies, small peptide microbicides, and protein denaturants.
The present invention also provides methods for the inoculation of human vaginal tissue (both untreated and previously treated with candidate antimicrobial compounds) and the subsequent evaluation of said inoculated engrafted tissue for the transmission and infection of said sexually transmitted pathogens and, thereby, the efficacy of said candidate antimicrobial compounds.
In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates a method for screening chemical compounds comprising: a) providing, in any order: i) a non-human host; ii) a human vaginal graft comprising a lumen; iii) a candidate compound; and iv) a pathogen; b) engrafting said vaginal graft within said host to create an engrafted vaginal xenograft comprising a lumen; c) introducing said compound into said non-human host via application methods selected from topical application and systemic administration; d) inoculating said engrafted vaginal xenograft with said pathogen; and e) testing said engrafted vaginal xenograft for the presence of pathogen. It is not intended that the present invention be limited by the antimicrobial mechanism of any candidate antimicrobial compound.